By Hassan Adan
Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan officiated the final of the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup in Kigali, where Rwanda’s Rayon Sports defeated Kenya’s Gor Mahia 2-1 to lift the regional club title.
Artan was appointed to take charge of the decisive match as the tournament concluded in the Rwandan capital on Friday, adding to a series of high-profile international assignments for the Somali referee.
Rayon Sports secured the title after a closely contested final against Gor Mahia, completing a successful campaign on home soil.
The 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup brought together 12 clubs from East and Central Africa and was held in Kigali from July 24 to Aug. 7, with matches played at Amahoro Stadium and Kigali Pelé Stadium.
The competition featured clubs from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Djibouti and Zanzibar.
Somali Football Federation President Ali Abdi Mohamed, who also serves as a CECAFA vice president, attended the tournament and took part in activities surrounding the competition.
Ali was elected CECAFA vice president in February following the regional body’s general assembly in Djibouti, where Eritrea’s Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam was elected president.
Somalia was also represented in the tournament by Mogadishu City Club, underlining the country’s continued participation in regional club competitions.
CECAFA has positioned the Kagame Cup as an important platform for clubs from the region to gain international experience and prepare for continental competitions, including the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Artan’s appearance in the Kagame Cup final comes during a remarkable year for the Somali referee, whose international profile has risen significantly despite a major setback at the 2026 World Cup.
In June, Artan was selected by FIFA among the referees for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
He was set to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup, but the opportunity ended before the tournament after U.S. authorities denied him entry at Miami International Airport.
FIFA confirmed that Artan would be unable to train or officiate at the tournament after being refused entry.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the decision followed unspecified “vetting concerns.”
Artan was subsequently returned to Turkey before travelling back to Somalia, where he received a hero’s welcome.
The incident attracted international attention because Artan had been selected by FIFA for the World Cup and had been named the Confederation of African Football’s Men’s Referee of the Year for 2025.
Days after the World Cup setback, European football’s governing body UEFA announced that Artan would referee the 2026 UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg on Aug. 12.
The match will feature UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain against UEFA Europa League winners Aston Villa.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin described Artan as a young but experienced referee who had established himself at the highest level of African football.
The appointment followed consultations between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football under an agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two confederations.
Artan has been on FIFA’s international referees list since 2018 and has officiated major African fixtures, including the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final.
His appointment to the UEFA Super Cup represents another significant milestone for Somali refereeing and comes shortly after his selection for the World Cup.
Artan’s international appointments, together with Ali Abdi Mohamed’s position within CECAFA, reflect Somalia’s growing involvement in football administration and competitions in East and Central Africa.
The Somali Football Federation has also continued to participate in regional football development programmes, including initiatives focused on youth development, coaching and referee development.
